Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-12-03

sons on the pane. bnI III tnose uaYk NC
were mere interested in our childish
games. As we grew older, however. and
moro serious. and our emotions deeper,
music gained a strong held upon ". Not
only did we hear the compositions Of The
great masters performed at concerts, but
we played arrangements Of them as duets
or The piano. Thus We grew more and
moro familiar with them, until we knew
them note by note. When we could
play them technically correctly we tried
to penetrate into their deeper meaning.
II waa then began to discover the poetry
of Alico's nature. Beauties which would
have remained hidden from me she dis
covered. and for the Interpretation Of
every composition she had numerous
poetic suggestions. And SO we often
reveled in wealth of beautiful sound
Yet wo were quite unconscious of the
bond Of sympathy which united us until
there came time when we thought we
should be obliged to part--for the first
time since early childhood. Alice's pa
rents had decided to take her TO Europe
fora year or two, in order that foreign
travel might complete her education. !
remember, as if it were but yesterday,
the afternoon when she told me of our
approaching separation. She spoke Of It
with mournful tenderness. / could say
nothing. But i had language better
than speech in which to express the emo
tons which welled up as she spoke.
There is an isnpromptu by Schubert,
which has been aptly entitled the .Elegsy.
1t is mournful melody, floating over Z
softly flowiEg accompaniment, like the
voice of lonely spirit over the water.
Gently I drew Alice to the piano, and
seating myself at the instrument, intoned
the 'Elcgy.' Swayed by feeling which
could not define, played with the
deepest expression Of which was capa-
bic. As the last notes died away hot
tears fell upon my hands. ! looked up
into Alice's face. She was weeping.
Flushed with the heat Of sudden passion,
| clasped her to my heart and kissed her.
A moment later thrill Of joy passed
through mo as her lips touched my brow.
Releasing her, knelt before her. She
laid her hands upon IN, head as though
in blessing Not q word had been
spoken, but our storie, lad been told :
we loved one another,
"Alice did not 60 to Europe. Our
parents wera not opposed to our union.
Indeed, they had expected such On event,
though not SO soon. Still, they had 90
familiarized themselves with the idea,
that, when our love for one. another was
made kno@n to Alice's parents. the trip
TO Europs was abandoned. We were
not, however, to marry until the lapse
of two years, when would be 20 and
she 20. Fortunately my parents were
well off, and it was not necessary for me
to earn my own living before / could
marry Alice. All the same, was ambi-
| toas enough to work hard at the studies
| which were to fit me for the legal pro
lession, course in which she encouraged
me. Need ! tell how happily those two
Wears passed? OF our loving exchange
Of confidence? OF the trust we reposed
in one another? The sweetness and beau
| ty Of Alice's character became more and
more apparent TO me; and when, tive
years after our engagement, we were
united in marriage, 1t seemed to me as Il
the climax Of happiness had beenreached
| AS / stood at the altar to receive her
and she came up the aisle clad in white
her face calm yet radiant, | could MOI
but feel that | was receiving an ange
into my life. Nor was | mistaken. But
| had been mistaken when / had thought
chat the climax of happiness had beer
reached on our wedding day; for every
| day Of our married life brought new
happiness. Alice's face often wore thai
calm yet radiant expression it had worn
on our wedding day. Her lips Otter
seemed to me about to part in smile O
happiness. When her face wore tha
expression Of quiet rapture it was lowell
est to behold. / sec it rising before IN,
now! / put out my hands to touch it
1t has vanished! All. it was but tn,
vision of spirit! For, alasl Alic'
is no more. Three years Of ever in
crcasing happiness, and then camc ;
tragedy all the more terrible for thu
bliss which had preceded it. All, bite
memory of the hours of agony passet
at her bedside! Alas! will time neve
assuage the despair, the agony, of thu
boar when they told me her eyes ha.
c'ased in death? charged them will
lying to me; for, as / looked upon he
tsce as she lay there so still, her lips, q
SO often before. seemed to me about Il
art in smile Of happiness. Is it !
Wonder that, when, they came to bear he
away to the tomb, ] stood like wil'
5east at bay before her coffin and dare'
them to approach? Seized, overpowere'
by superior numbers. it was only whcl
they threatened to fierce me to remain
guarded in that room that desistad il
order that might be allowed to follow
her remains to the tomb, and there b
suffered to gaze upon her features
Fools, to think her deadl / knew bette
than they. Would her lips still seen
about to part in smile of happiness
she wero dead and lost to me2 / felt tina
when, at the moment which others wonl'
think to be the moment of my final part
ing from her in the tomb, called her b.
name, she would awaken from her franc
and clasp me to her bosom and return
with me once more into the air and sun
shine. At last that moment came. TIL
dreary cortege had reached the tomb, tn
heavy portal had been thrown back, ant
they had borne the coffin into the sepul
cher, and placed it upon the catafalque
/ stepped forward TO take what the fool